Star Light Star Bright
by rubydesires
Summary: Revamp of an old story. No need to read previous story lines. Making deals with ghosts was not something she did often, ie at all, but sometimes, life happens.


**AN:** Hey. So I had intended on finishing Eternity, but as I was reading Stars, I realized…I really didn't like it. Ergo, I opted to rewrite the whole thing. Kitty's a little different in this one. She's a little older, a little more cautious, and a little less all over the damn place. I'll probably keep some key points, and I'm changing some names. Making it less…personal, as it were. Anyway, hope y'all enjoy.

xxxxxxx

I was riding my bike back to the house. I would have rather taken my car, but alas…she was in the Great Car Beyond. She hadn't made the cross-country trip. Luckily, the resulting accident hadn't been too bad. I had been bruised and battered, and my left wrist was in a brace due to a sprain, but nothing broken.

Besides, I had to admit, riding a bike _was_ healthier. And Connecticut August heat was nothing compared to the desert.

Anyway, riding back to the house, with a can of paint and tarnish remover in my backpack. I should have waited to spend the money until _after_ I got a job, but I was _bored_ out of my _mind_ at the house. Everything was unpacked, and I was the only one at home during the day. One can only watch movies and read for so long. I needed a project. So a project I had acquired. I found this vanity up in the attic? I don't like attics, I've decided. Spiders. All the spiders. So yeah, vanity. I like it. Needs a fresh coat of paint, and the mirror cleaned, but that's about it. I can't do a damn thing about the crack, but it's not too bad. I'm used to such things, anyway.

I made my way up the hill and parked my bike in the garage before heading to the pack porch where I'd set up the vanity on a tarp. I set up the rest of my stuff, and tying a bandana around my head to keep my hair out of the way, I got to work. Needed some serious elbow grease on the mirror. And it was a delicate process, because I didn't want to damage it more.

Then my hand slipped.

I hissed in a breath, pulling back. There was a gash on my thumb, and I went inside to wash it out. Once most of the blood was gone, I looked at it again. It didn't look like it needed stitches. Just had to be easy with it.

One band-aid later, I went back outside and froze. There was a guy. In the mirror. Lookin' around. This was some horror movie shit, that's what this was.

"You gonna kill me?" I asked, and his attention turned towards me. I should have been running, but I seemed to be caught under the spell all horror movie characters were caught in. Y'know, the one where they don't run away.

"Um…no? Who are you?"

"One, not giving you my name. Two, I should be asking you that, Mister Just-Gonna-Show-Up-In-My-Mirror."

He grinned and chills went up my spine. "I'm the Ghost with the Most, sweetheart."

Ghost. No. "Get the fuck out. Move the fuck on. I thought I requested to have my name removed from the list."

That confused him, I could see it. But I didn't care. I crossed my arms and glared, hoping he would get the hint _and leave me alone_.

He didn't.

"Listen, dollface. I don't know what yer talkin' about. And I ain't movin' on. I can't. It ain't time for me yet. I'm stuck in the Neitherworld until then. And y'know what? I _like_ the Livingrealm, and I plan on comin' back as often as I can."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You didn't come for me?"

"No." He tapped the mirror's frame. "This is my..." The dead guy frowned, I guess trying to figure out what word to use.

"Window?" I supplied, and he shrugged.

"Sure, that'll work."

Followed by an awkward silence of him looking me over and me glaring at him.

"Still didn't answer my question," he drawled.

"Kitty," I lied. Hey, I was on an X-Men kick and no way was Logan gonna work. "And you are?"

"Can't tell ya that. Well, not _exactly_. Good with charades?"

"Never played, but I understand the concept." Next thing I know, there's this giant ass bug sitting on the vanity, waving one of its legs at me. I took a few unconscious steps back, my flight-or-fight instinct kicking in, and leaning heavily towards flight as it is wont to do. But I managed to stammer out "Bug" to which he shook his head, and I settled on "Beetle". Which he accepted. The beetle popped into a juice box and after a moment of thinking, I went for "Juice".

"Bingo!" He was grinning, and looking mighty pleased with himself.

"Beetlejuice?" I asked, skeptical.

"One more time, baby." The ghost looked ready to bolt right into my personal bubble.

I cocked a brow, not at all willing to say his name again.

"Come _oooooon_," he whined, floppin' to half hang out of the mirror. "Say my name one more time, so I can get out of here! _I'm bored!_"

Okay, I understood that well enough. I chewed on my bottom lip, debating. "What are you gonna do?"

"Cause some much needed mischief and probably run some cons."

"Not gonna hurt anybody?"

"Not…_terribly_."

A bit more chewing, and then I said, "Fine, but we're making a deal. I'll let you out, and you keep other ghosts away from me. Deal?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. We'll shake on it," Beetlejuice replied, even holding out his hand.

After a moment of trying to determine if this was a trap or not (and settling on "what the hell did I have to lose?"), I approached and shook his hand. "Deal, Beetlejuice."


End file.
